Sweeper attachment for tractors and the like



Feb. 10, 1931. l. H. JUDD 1,791,554

- SWEEPER ATTACHMENT, FOR TRACTORS AND THE LIKE Fiied Jan. 9, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Suva/1 601 Feb. 10, 1931. l. H. JUDD 1,791,564

SWEEPER ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 9, 1928 2.Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 1Q, 1931 arur OFFICE IRVING H. JUDD, OFDETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR 'lO "WHE TEHEAD 6t KALES COM:

PANY,-OF nivnn ROUGE, ivrronroen, A CORPORATION or MICHIGANsWnnrnniAr'r-eonnnnr non 'rneo'rons AND THE LIKE Application filedJanuary 9, 1928. Serial N'o. 245,488.

This invention relates to attachments for tractors and the like and moreparticularly to improvements in sweeper apparatus par- One of theprimaryobjects of theprescnt invention is to provide a device of the abovecharacter distinguished by its simplicity of construction and operationwhich-not only enhances its value both mechanically and commercially,but provides a design of a. strong and durable nature.

Swcc oer attachments as new commercially produced require the presenceof several sprocket gears and chains connecting the sprocket gears foractuating the sweeper from the power take off of the tractor. Sprocketgears and their connecting chains are not only inefiicient because ofthe lossof power result ing from their use but. are also the source oftrouble mechanically because of strains imparted thereto.

However, according to my invention I propose an improved drivingconnection betw en the power takeoff of the tractor and the rotatablebrush for the sweeper which offers the possibility of "eliminatingcomplicated and inefficient sprocket- 'andchain connections andproviding an arrangement which is con ducive to advantages not possiblewith the above described type of sweeper attachments.

A further feature of this invention resides in the novel manner in whichthe sweeper brush is hinged upon the frame so thatthe brush may bequickly and easily swung to inoperative position without binding any ofthe parts.

Other objects and novel features of construction will be made moreapparent as this description proceeds especially when'con sidered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of atractor with my improved sweeperattached thereto;

Figure 2 is a top plan view partly in section, of the structureillustrated in Figure 1, certain parts being broken away for the sake ofclearness;

Figure 3 is asectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure dis a sectional view taken on the line 1l of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings it will be notedthatthere is illu'stinted tract-or 10 having front and rear axles l1 and12 upon which wheels 13, herein conventionally shown, are mounted.

The attachment embodying my inwention includes'the frame l l comprisinga pair of argularly spaced frame members 15 secured together at theinner ends thereof by means of the bracket/'16 which in turn is boltedor otherwise suitably pivotally secured to the lug 1'? depending fromthe tract r casing. Secured to the frame members 15 intermediate theendsthereof is a cross brace 18 which shown is pivotally securedintermediate the ends thereof to the front axle 11 by means of thelongitudinally extending bolt l9. lVih this arrangement it will beapparent that the frame l l will follow the axle during the rockingmovements thereof so that a perfeet contact of the rotatable brush withthe I road is insured.

Secured to the outer ends of the frame members 15 and extending at anangle to the longitudinal axis of the tractor is a second cross brace 20having secured upon the opposite ends thereof the brackets 21 and22.Each of these members is provided with axially aligned bearing portions23 and 24 within which a second pair of brackets 23 and 24 arerespectively journalled. As shown, the 1 brackets 23 and. 24 aresubstantially triangular in shape. and are provided with bearings 25 atthe upper ends thereof for receiving the 'rod 26. This rod ispreferablycon- 'nected intermediate the ends thereof with the lever 27pivoted asat 28 to the tractor. The bracket 24 is further provided atthe outer end thereof with a bearing 29 within which one end of thebrush shaft 30 is journalled.

The opposite end of the brush shaft is journalled within the annularhousing 31 cast integral with the braeket23 and disposed in axialalignment with the bearing 29 formed in the bracket 24.. As shown, thebracket 23 is provided with an inwardly extending projection 32 having abearing portion 33 within which one end of a shaft 34 is preferablyLournalled, the opposite end of this shaft eing journalled within andextending through an extension 35 of the housing 31. Non-rotatablymounted upon the shaft 34 and arranged within the extension 35 is a wormgear 36 adapted to mesh with the worm wheel 37 disposed within thehousing 31 and keyed or otherwise suitably secured to the brush shaft30. For rotating the shaft 34 and consequently the brush, I provide adrive shaft 38 driven from the power take off of the tractor, in amanner to be more fully hereinafter described and universally connectedat the forward end thereof to the shaft 34 by means of the cooperatingcoupling members 39 and 40 upon the shafts 34 and 38 respectively. Asshown, the coupling members 39 and 40 are of conventional design and arearranged in the same horizontal and vertical planes with the bearingportions 23 and 24 for the brackets 23 and 24. In other words, thecenter of the coupling designated by the character 41, is in directalignment with the axis of the bearing portions 23 and 24. Thus it willbe noted that the brush may be quickly and easily swung to inoperativeposition with comparatively little effort as any tendency of the partsto bind is thoroughly eliminated owing to the fact that the shaft 34carrying the worm 36 swings in an arc coincident with the are describedby the housing 31 or worm wheel during the pivotal movement of thebrush.

Referring now more specifically to the means for driving the drive shaft38, it will be noted that this shaft extends inwardly to a pointadjacent the power take off point of the tractor and is coupled with ashaft 42 journalled within the casing 43 and connected through asuitable clutch indicated generally by the reference character 44, to asecond shaft 45 having a gear 46 secured thereto and meshing with a gear47 keyed to the shaft 48. The shaft 48 is driven by the customary powertake off mechanism not shown. Any suitable means may be utilized forshifting the clutch to either engage or disengage the operating shaft 38with the driven shaft, herein shown as comprising an operating lever 49having a fork 50 upon one end thereof engageable with the clutch 44.

With an arrangement such as herein described, it is apparent that amobile sweeper is provided in which the brush is rotated by powerobtained from the tractor without the use of sprocket wheels and theaccompanying chains.

\Vhile one specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed herein in some detail, it will be readily apparent thatvarious modifications may be resorted to without departing from thespirit and scope of this invention and to this end reservation is madeto make such changes as may come within the purview of the accompanyingclaims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An attachment for tractors including a frame rigidly attachable to apart of a trac- I tor, a bracket pivotally connected to the frame andhaving a lateral projection, a sectional housing in rear of the lateralprojection, one section of said housing constituting a part of saidbracket, a ground engaging element having a shaft journaled in thesections of the housing, and actuating means for said element includinga shaft journaled in the lateral projection aforesaid and extending intosaid housing, and cooperating rotary parts within said housingoperatively associated with the first and last mentioned shafts.

2. An attachment for tractors including a frame attachable to a part ofa tractor and having a cross bar, brackets pivotally mounted on saidcross bar, a housing carried by one of said brackets, a ground ongagingelement having a shaft journaled in said housing and in the otherbracket, arod carried by said brackets, means connected to said rod tomove said ground engaging element and brackets relative to said crossbar, and actuating means for said element including cooperating rotaryparts within said housing and operatively connected to the shaft of saidelement, and two universally connected shafts for operating saidcooperating parts, the universal connection between said shafts beingentirely separate and spaced from but in substantially horizontalalignment with the pivots for the brackets whereby one of said shaftsmay move with said brackets relative to the other shaft as said bracketsand ground engaging elements are moved relative to said cross bar.

3. An attachment for tractors including a frame attachable to a part ofa tractor and having a cross bar, brackets pivotally mounted on saidcross bar, a housing carried by one of said brackets, a ground engagingelement having a shaft journaled in said housing and in the otherbracket, .1 rod carried by said brackets, means connected to said rod tomove said ground engaging element and brackets relative to said crossbar, a bearing on the first mentioned bracket, and actuating means forsaid ground engaging element including a shaft journaled in saidbearing, and cooperating rotary parts within said housing andoperatively connected to the shaft of said element and to the lastmentioned shaft.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

IRVING H. J UDD.

